COLUMN: That's a wrap for fall sports

Wow! Can it really be three sports seasons have sped by in my retirement days of writing for the Valley Press and Mineral Independent?

Boys get ready for basketball season

It's time for the Sanders County high school boys to go back to court — basketball court. Nearly 100 athletes from the four county high schools will hold their first games at three different tournaments Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7-8.

Helicopters stand ready to fight area wildfires

Helicopters of various sizes and shapes sit ready at the Mineral County Airport near Superior. Six have been called in to-date to help fight the Sunrise and Burdette fires burning east of Superior. With a moment’s notice any one of them will spring into action and make the trek to the fires.

Victory

State Champions

The Savage Heat pose with their Class C six-man football State Champions trophy following their victory over Big Sandy, 77-0.

Hot Springs Homesteader Days chock-full of events

Visitors from across the country made Hot Springs their destination of choice last weekend for the annual Homesteader’s Days, a long-standing tradition in Hot Springs for 75 years.

Obituary; Donald Parkin

 Donald Parkin passed away at his home outside of Superior, Montana on May 25th.  Don was born August 26th 1934 on Iron Mountain in Superior, Montana at his Grandma Bennett’s house.  The only child of Kenneth & Jane (Bennett) Parkin he attended elementary and high school in Superior, Montana.  During high school he worked for local businessman Wally Schneider.  Don’s work ethic allowed him to have one of the first automobiles in his high school class which made him a popular friend if you had gas money which Romie Doyle and Ray Bennett will attest to.  In 1952, Don joined the Navy.  He spent 3 years touring the South Pacific on the USS McKinley after which he returned to Superior.  Don had a love for all things associated with the military especially aircraft.  In 1955, he married Sylvia Schierding and shortly thereafter went to work at Diamond Match Sawmill where he  worked as a mechanic for 27 years.  They had two children Valerie and Wade.  Don cared deeply for his children and grandchildren.  He served many years as a volunteer fireman and volunteered on the ambulance.  Don was an entrepreneur, he had his own dump trucks, had a fabrication shop and at the same time maintained the school buses for many years.  He had a deep affection for the outdoors and spent many of days traveling the hills of western Montana in his Kubota.  There wasn’t a vehicle he could not fix, a piece of metal he could not weld or a task that was too big for him to complete.  He built his dream house on the Clark Fork River where he resided for several years.  Don loved to travel and during retirement he visited many of the world’s greatest historical sites with his good friend Kathy Jasper.  Don likened himself as a historian of Mineral County as he had a knack for remembering names and faces. If you had an old picture or were trying to remember someone’s name he could usually provide you with the information you sought, plus he would add his own take and opinion free of charge. The last few years Don enjoyed travelling with his life companion Elaine White.  Don will be dearly missed by his friends and family. Don is survived by his son Wade and his wife (Sue) Parkin of St Maries, ID, daughter Valerie Parkin of Billings, MT, grandchildren  Mike and Kenneth Dewey of Billings, MT and his “guiding light” Elaine White of Superior.  Graveside services will be held June 7th at 1 PM with a reception and potluck following at his home.  In lieu of flowers, we request that donations be made in Don’s honor to Mineral County Museum and Historical Society or to the charity of donor’s choice.

COLUMN: Amazing Alberton Panthers

It felt like I just watched a classic John Wayne movie, where he fights to the bitter end and is remembered as a hero.

Average harvest for Western Montana hunters

During opening weekend of the general big game hunting season, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reported checking 2,325 hunters and 179 harvested animals at its three permanent check stations in west-central Montana, on par with average first weekend totals.

White Pine vet needs help from community

Arthur Evangelista needs a helping hand.

Quiet start to hunting season in west-central Montana

Quiet start to hunting season in west-central Montana

Region 1 deer and elk harvest lags behind 2022 season

The percent of hunters with game continues to lag behind last season’s average two weeks into Northwest Montana’s general rifle season.

Hunter numbers up of big game season-opener

The 2023 Montana big game general hunting season opened Saturday, Oct. 21, and hunters in the west-central part of the state found warm fall weather and a few less animals than in recent years.

Busy opening weekend in west-central Montana

Big game hunting season in west-central Montana got off to a good start over the weekend with steady hunter traffic through the region’s four hunter check stations and a harvest on track with last year’s opener.

First hard storm hits the area as Christmas turns white, cold

A winter storm out of Canada descended on Western Montana on Monday, Dec. 18, with additional storms hitting the area over the next week.

Hot Springs celebrates Chinese New Year

The community of Hot Springs held its seventh annual Chinese New Year parade on Saturday, Jan. 27. The parade featured approximately 40 adults and children carrying banners. Several people played homemade drums and there were homemade wind instruments. Several men and women helped move a large Chinese dragon and some people were dressed as a black and white sheep. The parade began in front of the Camas Organic Market worked up and down Main street and then back up and down a second time down to stop at the barbershop, where there were several bonfires, drinks, and Asian style food for anyone who was interested.

Harvey 'Gene' Pinkley, 77

On Wednesday, August 7, 2019, Harvey “Gene” Pinkley, loving husband and father of two daughters passed away at age 77.

Hot Springs seniors

Savage Heat seniors Jaden Baker, Wyatt Nagy, Dave Cross, Mike Gray, Alyssa Foster and Shany King are all smiles at Senior Night in Hot Springs.

Savage Heat seal fate

HOT SPRINGS – The Savage Heat met the Noxon Red Devils in Ronan for the first game of the District Tournament. Hot Springs battled to move forward to the next round and further their season.

Deborgia ladies celebrate Leap Year

What better way to spend the extra day of this leap year than with friends, food, fellowship and some bling?